X

Photos: Home Entertainment Show 2007

High-end audio was on display today at the Home Entertainment Show 2007. We canvassed the show floor and found enough vacuum tubes and exotic speaker designs to make any audiophile smile.

Matthew Moskovciak
Covering home audio and video, Matthew Moskovciak helps CNET readers find the best sights and sounds for their home theaters. E-mail Matthew or follow him on Twitter @cnetmoskovciak.
John Falcone Senior Editorial Director, Shopping
John P. Falcone is the senior director of commerce content at CNET, where he coordinates coverage of the site's buying recommendations alongside the CNET Advice team (where he previously headed the consumer electronics reviews section). He's been a CNET editor since 2003.
Expertise Over 20 years experience in electronics and gadget reviews and analysis, and consumer shopping advice Credentials
  • Self-taught tinkerer, informal IT and gadget consultant to friends and family (with several self-built gaming PCs under his belt)
Matthew Moskovciak
John Falcone
1kef-1178911732984-440_330.JPG
1 of 15 CNET Networks
Kef's 207/2s are the second-generation update of the floor-standing towers in the company's Reference line. These monsters go for $20,000 a pair, and they're shipping now.
1krell_evo505-1178912663330-440_330.JPG
2 of 15 CNET Networks
At $10,000, the Krell Evolution 505 is easily the most expensive CD player we've seen. (At least it plays SACDs, too.)
1krell_kid-1178912933694-440_330.JPG
3 of 15 CNET Networks
At "just" $1,400, the Krell Kid iPod dock is one of the company's more affordable pieces. It boasts balanced XLR outputs for the best possible sound quality.
1soundmatters-1178912733386-440_330.JPG
4 of 15 CNET Networks
The SlimStage is the latest one-piece virtual surround speaker from Soundmatters. The company's largest-yet model boasts an upgraded "EuphonyHD" virtualizing technology and should be available later this year.
1zvox-1178913136604-440_330.JPG
5 of 15 CNET Networks
Soundmatters isn't the only one in the virtual surround game: Zvox is also offering a larger and more expensive single-speaker model. The Zvox 425 will retail for $600 when it hits in the late summer or early fall.
1mbl-1178913488640-440_330.JPG
6 of 15 CNET Networks
Germany's MBL was demoing its Reference line, which includes the 101E Radialstrahler speakers ($45,000 per pair)--a truly unique-looking loudspeaker designed to radiate sound in all directions.
1proclaim_dmt1-1178914123108-440_330.jpg
7 of 15 CNET Networks
Proclaim Audioworks introduced the DMT-100 loudspeaker system, with a unique design consisting of three independent orb-like drivers. The design allows for each driver to be optimally positioned, depending on room acoustics and the listener's preference. They're not cheap at $27,000 per pair, but we're sure they'll turn heads.
1clearsound-1178914309751-440_330.jpg
8 of 15 CNET Networks
Audiophiles still swear by the magic of tubes and ClearSound had a whole table of tube-based amps and preamps from manufacturers such as Cary and Audio Space. Of course, you'll need to spend some serious dough to take one of these home, as prices ran up to almost $10,000.
1salagar-1178916369435-440_330.jpg
9 of 15 CNET Networks
While the Salagar S210 doesn't have the most exotic design, its understated sleek curves look like a nice fit for many a living room. Equipped with a 10-inch midbass driver and 1-inch tweeter, the S210 goes for a relatively cheap (for high-end, at least) $7,500 a pair.
1scaena_isolineararray-1178914930632-440_330.jpg
10 of 15 CNET Networks
High-end speakers come in all shapes and sizes, and Scaena's iso-linear array certainly isn't the average black boxy speaker. According to Scaena, the entire system is scalable, so you can continue to add more drivers to the system. The speakers we saw had 12 drivers, but the brochure mockup showed an iso-linear array with 15 drivers.
1haniwa_hsp3w10-1178916133531-440_330.jpg
11 of 15 CNET Networks
Haniwa's giant HSP3W10 speakers wouldn't fit in our living room, but we wish they did. The glossy black design and giant bowl-like enclosures give the HSP3W10 an unmistakable look, but you'll need $50,000 to take a pair of them home.
1audiospace_novam34-1178917950525-440_330.jpg
12 of 15 CNET Networks
Audio Space's Nova 34 mono block power amplifier has seven vacuum tubes, which are openly exposed to make your audiophile friends jealous. The Nova 34 is currently available for about $3,000.
1lipinski_l707-1178918806912-440_330.jpg
13 of 15 CNET Networks
Lipinski's display featured a pair of L-707 loudspeakers. While the whole demo system costs more than $35,000, you can add a pair of L-707's to your home theater for a more reasonable $2,500.
1gamut_phi7-1178919764229-440_330.jpg
14 of 15 CNET Networks
Elaborate designs are nice, but some audiophiles like their speakers to, well, look like speakers. Gamut's Phi 7 tower speakers stand almost four feet tall and weigh nearly 60 pounds. With five drivers and a tweeter, the Phi 7 speakers look like they mean business.
1pathos_endorphin-1178920317112-440_330.jpg
15 of 15 CNET Networks
It looks like a landing pad for a spaceship, but instead of accommodating a flying saucer, the Pathos Endorphin can spin your favorite CDs. The design is definitely sleek and around back there are balanced XLR analog outputs. Of course, there are also both coaxial and optical digital audio outputs, but using them would be even sillier than spending nearly $8,000 on a CD player.

More Galleries

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera
A houseplant

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera

20 Photos
Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra
magic-v2-2024-foldable-1383

Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra

10 Photos
The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum
Samsung Galaxy S24

The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum

23 Photos
Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design
The Galaxy S24 Ultra in multiple colors

Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design

23 Photos
I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites
img-0368.jpg

I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites

34 Photos
17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About
Invitation for the Apple September iPhone 15 event

17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About

18 Photos
AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?
img-1599-2.jpg

AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?

17 Photos